Going to St. Ives
Reading Comprehension Activity

Author: Mother Goose

This classic Mother Goose nursery rhyme comes from a 1916 collection of the poems. Long a favorite as an amusing riddle, it has generated several modern references in text and songs. After reading the poem, students will answer questions on the details of the poem and answer the riddle.

Topic(s): Humor. Skill(s): Summary, Main / Central Idea. Genre(s): Poetry

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Passage

St. Ives is a place in Great Britain. This poem is a riddle. See if you can find the answer. Kits is a short word for kittens.

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As I was going to St. Ives
I met a man with seven wives.
Every wife had seven sacks,
Every sack had seven cats,
Every cat had seven kits.
Kits, cats, sacks, and wives,
How many were going to St. Ives?

Comprehension Questions
Answers

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